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Updated: May 6, 2026

A Novel Bioreactor for High Density Cultivation of Diverse Microbial Communities
Published on: December 25, 2015
Extended filaments of bulking sludge sink in the floc layer with particulate substrate
Binbin Wang1, Lin Zhang, Dangcong Peng
1School of Environmental and Municipal Engineering, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an 710055, China; Key Laboratory of Northwest Water Resource, Environment and Ecology, Ministry of Education, Xi'an 710055, China.
Abstract:
Recent studies have showed that particulate substrate has a positive effect on sludge settleability. This study was driven by the question of how the extended filaments disappeared when soluble substrate was switched to particulate substrate. A lab-scale aerobic completely stirred tank reactor was performed and evaluated for a period of two months. The results showed that extended filaments were quickly induced with soluble substrate. Total extended filament length of activated sludge decreased and sludge settleability was significantly improved after the soluble substrate was switch to particulate substrate. Due to the lack of hydrolysis products in the bulk liquid when particulate substrate was fed, extended filaments were forced to grow towards the inside of the flocs and finally sink in the floc layer. A physical model was proposed to explain the evolution of extended filaments caused by soluble substrate and cured by particulate substrate.
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